Former Queensland police Sergeant Darryl Coventry brought his national lawn bowling initiative Bowls Gr8 For Brains to Deniliquin RSL Club on Thursday, January 16.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The initiative aims to provide support for both current and former defence personnel, emergency services personnel, front line medical professionals and members of volunteer organisations who struggle with their mental health issues.
The Bowls Gr8 for Brains project was the result of Coventry’s own battle with post-traumatic stress and depression.
After 16 years of policing, Coventry joined Australia’s Maritime and Aviation Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, working in project management and consultancy.
Although his career had been progressing well, he knew something had changed for him internally.
‘‘Post Traumatic Stress had been kicking along in the background all the way through,’’ Coventry said.
‘‘In 2013 I had a massive nervous breakdown and had a massive life changing experience.
‘‘My partner at the time took my two young kids away. I ended up in hospital about 20 plus times, doing all of the police PTSD programs and as such was medically retired.
‘‘Throughout all the medical treatment there were things I knew were going to be useful, but I couldn’t apply them.
‘‘My life turned really bad. I had my own attempts (at suicide) and then one day I walked into a bowling club and picked up a set of bowls. That was four years ago.
‘‘Since then everything has changed. I’ve gone from being in that place of suicidal ideation to now playing A1 bowls, playing in state finals, winning tournaments and building that whole friendship base.
‘‘I basically went from having nothing to recreating a new friendship base and re-learning the social world.
‘‘For me now, I have a fantastic relationship with my two children, an improved and working relationship with my partner and I’ve had the ability to return to work.’’
Coventry’s improved mental health not only rekindled his relationship with his family, but also with the Retired Police Association.
He said a meeting with retired Albury superintendent Beth Docksey sparked the creation of Bowls Gr8 For Brains.
‘‘I threw it out there and said ‘has anyone considered lawn bowling as a therapy for trauma?’,’’ he said.
‘‘From there we set up the first Bowls Gr8 For Brains group at Lavington Panthers Bowling Club.
‘‘We’re into our fourth month and have 20 active participants with backgrounds in the fire brigade, defence force and retired police.
‘‘That group works on a simple premise that it’s a Men’s Shed on a bowling green.’’ Coventry said it’s not about competition or winning, it’s about celebrating each other and building new friendships.
‘‘The idea is we can get groups together, trying to build a network. Want to raise money buy equipment to make experience free.
‘‘The aim is to bring lawn bowling, and its therapeutic benefits, to our defence personnel and emergency responders, including volunteers, and, their families, who may live with Post Traumatic Stress issues as a result of their service to Australia.
‘‘We want to combat the alarming suicide rates among our people, by using bowls as a therapeutic tool and want to promote peer support.
‘‘We also aim to create a safe, supported social environment for our people and celebrate our local heroes at no cost to them.
‘‘Bowls ticks all the boxes. First and foremost if you’re out there playing bowls you’re walking more than 2km.
‘‘You’re out getting Vitamin D, and the rest is academic. The other thing it does is tailored and directed activity.
‘‘When it comes to trauma, a lot of the injury side of it turns into PTSD manifesting in your brain. If you get onto a bowling green, your attention is on the bowls.
‘‘You’re actually training the brain to be able to come away from the troubles and focus on something else.’’Bowls Gr8 for Brains meets the first Thursday of each month at the Lavington Panthers Bowling Club, and is soon to go fortnightly.
‘‘It is designed around targeting emergency service demographic, as we feel people in these fields aren’t celebrated enough,” Coventry said.
‘‘It’s about getting like-minded people together
‘‘Our longer-term goal is to create a lawn bowling network across partner clubs with a view to bringing our groups together for special events, again building this community.
‘‘We have secured a Service Provider for the Australian standard Mental Health First Aid Course and are communicating with Bowls Australia in terms of gaining access to club coaches courses and in future development.
‘‘Our project has received overwhelming support, but we are still in our infancy.
‘‘At the moment there are about 20 police officers, retired and current, taking their own lives every month.
‘‘If I can just capture one person and save one life, then my job is done.’’Coventry hopes by sharing his journey, the program will be embraced and established in other areas.
■ Anyone requiring crisis support can contact NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 800 944, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.